If music be the food of love, play on
by ninjanervana
Summary: Your typical "put your iPod on shuffle and write a one-shot based on it" except I chose the songs myself. Mostly centered around Clary and Jace, but also features other pairings, both romantic and non-romantic. Some AU one-shots
1. Rhythm of Love: Jace and Clary

Hey readers! As you can see, I'm very quickly developing an addiction to writing Mortal Instruments fan fiction so here's yet another story. It's your typical "put your iPod on shuffle and write a one-shot based on it" except I chose the songs myself. It'll be mostly Clary/Jace, but I'll throw in other pairings (both romantic and non-romantic) Remember I do not own any of these fantastic characters; I just write fan fiction. I also don't own any music by the Plain White T's. Hope you enjoy; please leave a review! Here's Rhythm of Love by the Plain White T's!

-ninjanervana

* * *

 _My head is stuck in the clouds_

 _She begs me to come down_

 _Says "Boy quit foolin' around"_

Jace sat on one of the beams of the training room, looking down at Clary. He couldn't explain why, but he loved to perch himself up on the beams, thirty feet above the mats on the ground. He found it both exhilarating and calming being able to see the world spread out below him. A devilish grin spread across his lips as he watched her plant her hands on her hips, his gold eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Jace, come down here," Clary called, rolling her eyes as she tilted her head back to look at him. After a long afternoon of training, her red curls were slowly freeing themselves from the bun on her head, her hair tie struggling to restrain them. He couldn't wait until it gave up the fight; he preferred her hair down, loving the silky feeling as he ran his fingers through her curls. Just the thought of it had his heart beating a little faster. "I thought you were supposed to be training me. You said we were going to practice hand to hand combat now."

 _I told her "I love the view from up here_

 _Warm sun and wind in my ear_

 _We'll watch the world from above_

 _As it turns to the rhythm of love"_

"I think we've done enough training for today," he replied easily, basking in the warmth of the sun's rays as they came through one of the skylights. The window was propped open, letting in the breeze from outside to cool the usually warm room. His hands rested on the beam lightly as he leaned back. "Why don't you come join your handsome boyfriend up here?"

Clary snorted lightly, "I don't know if I feel like climbing that ladder to keep you company; it's a long way up."

Jace's grin widened, "You could always jump like me."

"Not everyone has that extra boost of angel blood," she retorted. "Besides, I don't think there's enough room up there for me with you and your huge ego. I'm surprised the beam hasn't broken under the weight yet."

He laughed loudly, throwing his head back. She always had a smart answer to match his. "I'll make some space between me and my incredibly good looks. Come on; let's see those Shadowhunter skills you've been working on."

"Come and get me," Clary replied, a smile on her lips as she backed away slowly, her eyes never leaving his.

 _We may only have tonight_

 _But till the morning sun you're mine, all mine_

 _Play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love_

 _My heart beats like a drum_

 _A guitar string to the strum_

 _A beautiful song to be sung_

 _She's got blue eyes deep like the sea_

 _That roll back when she's laughing at me_

 _She rises up like the tide_

 _The moment her lips meet mine_

Jace stood on the beam, staring down at Clary before leaping off of it; he never could resist a challenge. He flipped in midair, landing in a crouch less than a foot from her. He looked up at her, his golden curls flopping into his eyes as they met her green ones.

"Showoff," Clary laughed loudly, her eyes wrinkling at the corners as she shook her head. "Was that flip really necessary? You could have jumped straight down."

"Now where's the fun in that?" he replied easily as he stood, closing the distance between them. He rested his hands lightly on her waist, pulling her body tight against his. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest from being near her, the way it always raced when she was around him. Only she could make him feel like he had run five miles after being in her presence for five seconds. "I like to flex muscles for my girlfriend; I could have thrown in a few spins you know."

"You like the attention from anyone," Clary retorted, resting her palms lightly on his chest.

Jace shook his head, one of his hands moving to cup her cheek lightly. "You're the only one that I care about," he murmured. As he tilted his head down to hers, he felt her body shift in his arms as she stretched up on her toes, her lips meeting his halfway. He smiled against her lips as he felt her arms wrap around his neck, one of her hands threading into his hair.

 _We may only have tonight_

 _But till the morning sun you're mine all mine_

 _Play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love_

 _When the moon is low_

 _We can dance in slow motion_

 _And all your tears will subside_

 _All your tears will dry_

Jace rested his forehead against Clary's as he closed his eyes, relaxing as she ran her fingers through his hair. As long as Clary didn't get tired, he could spend hours standing there with her, contentedly wrapped up in their own little world. They'd fought too long and hard to be able to have this moment; he wasn't going to pass it up for anything. The thought made him pull Clary closer, her chest pressed against his.

"Clary!" Isabelle called as she walked into the training room, stopping short as she saw Jace and Clary wrapped up in each other's arms. "So much for training," she said sarcastically.

"We're busy, go away," Jace replied, pressing his face into Clary's red hair. Maybe if he ignored her, she would go away.

"Well that sucks for you since Clary and I have plans to go shopping," she retorted. "Come on, Clary; you've still gotta get showered and dressed before we can go."

"Don't go; it's a trap," he whispered into Clary's ear, turning his body so she was blocked from Isabelle's view.

Clary laughed softly, stretching up to kiss Jace before unwinding her arms from around his neck. "I have to go; I promised her."

Jace sighed dramatically, reluctant to let her go. "Buy something sexy for me to see you in?" he asked, a teasing smile on his lips.

She blushed slightly, smacking his chest as she escaped his arms and headed for the doorway. "In your dreams, Lightwood."

"You don't want to hear about my dreams, Clary," he called after her with a laugh. Although her back was to him, he could picture her rolling her eyes as her blush spread across her cheeks further.

 _And long after I've gone_

 _You'll still be humming along_

 _And I will keep you in my mind_

 _The way you make love so fine_

Jace could hear Clary humming as she made her way across the training room, grabbing her backpack near the door. She paused for a moment, turning around to smile at him before following Isabelle down the hall. He stood there for a minute, basking in the silence of the room before grabbing his water bottle. With Clary gone for at least a few hours, he might as well shower and get some food for himself.

He found himself humming the same melody Clary had been humming all afternoon, the sound familiar but unable to place where he knew it from. All the pieces clicked into place as he pushed open his bedroom door, his eyes landing on the music book Clary had bought him a few weeks prior. The melody she was humming was one from the book, the first one he had played at her request. He could clearly remember her sitting beside him on the piano bench as his hands flew across the keys, her bright green eyes twinkling with awe. A smile curved across Jace's lips as he walked over to his bed, picking up the book. As often as Clary was on his mind, nearly all day since the day he met her, it seemed that he was on her mind just as often. With that thought, he opened the book, looking for the next piece he would play for her.

 _We may only have tonight_

 _But till the morning sun you're mine all mine_

 _Play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love_

 _Play the music low and sway to the rhythm of love_

 _Yes sway to the rhythm of love_


	2. Natural Disaster: Simon and Isabelle

I've gotta say, Plain White T's is great fanficition writing music. This chapter is an AU where everyone is a mundane. Here's Natural Disaster by the Plain White T's. I don't own the characters or the song.

* * *

 _She said she saw me on TV_

 _This girl's a legend in the late night scene_

 _And you could see she aimed to please_

 _'Cause she just wouldn't take her eyes off me_

Isabelle wove her way through the crowded club, her hand firmly grasping Clary's as she led the red-head through Pandemonium. She'd lost Clary more times than she could count in crowded places: clubs, bars, crowded Manhattan sidewalks. She quickly realized the best way to keep track of the shorter woman was to hold onto her.

"Why are we here again?" Clary shouted over the blaring music, trying to avoid being trampled by the massive audience that formed in front of the stage. The band hadn't come on yet, but everyone was trying to get a good spot to watch them from.

"I told you; I saw the band that's playing tonight on tv the other day," Isabelle replied as she finally stopped walking, tugging Clary to stand beside her. They weren't against the barricade in front of the stage, but their spot was as good as it was going to get. "They're called Millennium Lint."

Clary snorted, brushing her hair from her eyes. "What a name," she said dryly. "So how cute is the band that you dragged me out here on a Tuesday night?"

"You need to have more fun; you need to be dragged out sometimes," she replied, adjusting her sequin crop top. Her long black hair hung straight down her back, looking almost blue beneath the club lights. "Besides, it was a breeze getting in. The staff here knows me."

"The staff at every good club in Manhattan knows you," Clary laughed, her green eyes sparkling in amusement. "But you didn't answer me about the band."

She shrugged her shoulders, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "The only one that's cute is the guitarist. Drums, bass, and lead singer are all up for grabs; they don't appeal to me. But that guitarist, wait till you see him; you'll understand."

"I'm sure the other women here appreciate you being so generous with the other members of the band," she teased.

Isabelle barely heard her words, her eyes focused on the stage as the curtain parted, revealing the band. Her eyes immediately locked on the guitarist, a smile on her lips. _'Gotcha,'_ she thought.

 _She made the music come to life_

 _She moves her body like a butcher knife_

 _Chopping up every guy in sight_

 _She was mysterious, I could not resist to save my life_

Simon grinned at Jordan, the lead singer, as he announced their final song for the night. The crowd had been amazing, singing and dancing along to their music. The energy in the place made him feel alive, his body humming with excitement and adrenaline. As he played, his eyes scanned the crowd, inevitably landing on the dark haired woman dancing in the crowd. His eyes had been drawn to her all night, constantly finding her in the club, which was a miracle with the crowd. He'd played for tons of crowds before, but he had never been able to pick someone out of the audience so easily.

Simon didn't know what it was about her that made him take notice of her. It could have been the short red-haired woman dancing next to her, couldn't miss her if he tried. It could have been the way her dark hair shone beneath the club lights, the way her eyes seemed to shine across the distance between them. It could be the strange tattoos that she had across her bare arms, going from her shoulders to her wrists. Or it could be the graceful way she moved as she danced. He saw more than a few guys seem as if they were going to approach her before second-guessing themselves and backing away. He didn't know what it was, but he knew she was a woman who demanded attention.

 _I don't know what this girl was after_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster_

 _She's so sexy, I had to have her_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster, natural disaster_

"That was an awesome show," Maia said as the band moved back stage, the curtain closing behind them.

"Is it part of your contract as our manager that you have to stay that to us?" Jace asked teasingly, grabbing his bottle of water from near his drums. "Or part of being Jordan's girlfriend?"

Maia shook her head, "If you guys suck, I'm gonna tell you that you suck. I'll also find a new band to manage; so if I'm here, you guys are good," she retorted with a laughed. "Seriously, the crowd loved you guys; you heard them."

"Does that mean we've earned the rest of the night off?" Jordan asked as he wrapped an arm around Maia's shoulders, pulling her close.

Simon rolled his eyes, "I'm gonna go find that girl before the happy couple starts playing tonsil hockey," he said as he headed for the stairs.

"Which girl?" Alec asked curiously. "You know someone here?"

He shook his head, "There's a girl in the crowd that I saw; I'm gonna find her."

Jace laughed loudly, seating himself on one of the speakers. "You're trying to find _one_ woman in a crowd of this size. Are you insane?"

"Won't find her unless I try," Simon called over his shoulder. Jace got up from his seat, following after Simon. "I gotta try."

 _And when she left me on the floor_

 _She knew I'd follow her right out that door_

 _She'd always leave you craving more_

 _Just the addiction I've been waiting for_

It was easier than Simon thought to find the dark haired woman, but he had a feeling she was looking for him too. He hadn't made it more than a few feet into the audience before he spotted her looking over at him, a playful smile on her lips as she turned back to her friend. He was at her side in a flash, returning her easy smile.

"I'm Simon," he said over the blaring music, the sound drowning out Jace's groan of displeasure. Jace always complained that he needed to work on his pickup lines, but Simon didn't see the use in beating around the bush. And she seemed like a no nonsense kinda woman.

"I know," the woman replied with a soft laugh, smiling at him. He could see her dark eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'm Isabelle. You were great up there."

"I know," Simon answered, trying to replicate the cockiness he always heard in Jace's voice before laughing at himself. "Thanks. Do you want to dance?"

Isabelle nodded, slipping her hand into his easily as she led him further onto the dance floor. Simon glanced over his shoulder, grinning as he saw Jace giving him a thumbs up.

 _She made the music come to life_

 _Staring me down with those electric eyes_

 _And when she said, "Your place or mine?"_

 _I was delirious, I could not resist to save my life_

Simon had danced with a lot of girls when he traveled with the band, but nothing could compare to dancing with Isabelle. There was something about her that was mesmerizing: the way she moved, the confidence in her movements or something else altogether. She didn't belong beneath the pounding bass and dazzling lights of the club. She belonged up on stage, somewhere she could shine in front of hundreds.

He knew he wasn't the only person who was drawn in by her; men and women were pausing on the dance floor, stopping just to glance over at the graceful female dancing with him. Simon even stopped her for a moment to ask if she was a trained dancer; there was no way she could possibly be that graceful without some sort of training. She replied with an impish grin, saying she had never taken a dance class in her life.

He felt a shiver go through him as her body pressed tight against his, her arms wrapped around his neck. "Let's get out of here," she said, her eyes bright with excitement and desire. "I want to leave."

"Wh-what?" Simon stammered in shock, his heart pounding in his chest.

Isabelle ran her hands down his arms, taking one of his hands in hers as she led him to the exit. "Your place or mine?" she questioned, looking over her shoulder at him. The quiet of the city street was startling after the noise of the club; Simon could still feel his ears ringing. "Actually my place would be better; I don't want your band mates walking in on us," she said with a grin, hailing a cab for them.

 _I don't know what this girl was after_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster_

 _She's so sexy, I had to have her_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster, natural disaster_

 _All night long_

 _What's your name? What's your game? Show me how to play_

 _All night long_

 _'Cause I can see you and me going all the way_

The cab ride to Isabelle's apartment was a blur of heated kisses and groping hands. Kissing her was like being struck by lightning; he could feel the energy of it coursing through his body and knew too much of it would burn him to a crisp. He tumbled out of the cab after her as the cab stopped at a brownstone house, quickly following her up the front steps. It took them a few minutes to make it up to the third floor, frequently stopping to push each other against the wall for another kiss. He was surprised none of her neighbors came out with the noise they were making.

As they finally got into her apartment, his kisses along Isabelle's neck making it difficult for her to unlock the door, she shoved him against the door, quickly pulling his shirt off before reaching for the hem of her own.

"Isabelle, what are we doing?" he panted, his hands slipping up the back of her shirt. His cheeks were flushed with color, his lips red from her kiss. "Tell me now so I know where to stop."

Her eyes darkened with desire as she looked up at him. "I don't want you to stop; I want you to come to my room with me."

 _All night long_

 _I don't even really care what you're after_

 _All night long_

 _As long as you keep going faster, faster_

Their clothes was shed along their way to her room, their hands frantic. Simon didn't even pause to take in her living room as they passed through it, couldn't tell you if she had hardwood floors or carpeting, if she had couches or windows or anything. All he knew at that moment was Isabelle and the growing need between them. As the back of his knees hit the side of her bed, he sat down, pulling her on top of him. Right now nothing else mattered; whether this was a good idea or bad idea, that was a worry for tomorrow.

 _She said she saw me on TV_

 _This girl's a legend in the late night scene_

 _And you could see she aimed to please_

 _'Cause she just wouldn't take her eyes off me_

 _I don't know what this girl was after_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster_

 _She's so sexy, I had to have her_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster_

Simon yawned sleepily as he looked down at Isabelle, her black hair spread around her as her head rested on his chest. The sun was beginning to come up, the yellow rays slowly brightening the dark sky. He ran his fingers across her smooth back, tracing the curving tattoos along her bare shoulders and arms. _'I'll ask her about them in the morning,'_ he thought, tucking the blanket around her more firmly as he relaxed into his pillows. Isabelle made a soft, contented sound, her arm shifting to drape across his chest.

He planned on asking her about a lot of things: her tattoos, her favorite food, her favorite time of day, how she felt about life and love and all the crazy things that made up the universe. He wasn't sure what Isabelle wanted, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers without a fight. A small smile graced his lips as he leaned forward to kiss her head. This woman was a whirlwind, but he had to have her.

 _I don't know what this girl was after_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster_

 _She's so sexy, I had to have her_

 _She's a natural, natural disaster, natural disaster_


End file.
